[Automatic] (An Aarmau AU)

Three days

That's how long Katelyn and I hid out in the woods.

We moved everyday, gathering up the few supplies we had and traveled to a different section of the vast woods.

With nothing to do but talk, I learned a lot about Katelyn during those few days. She told me she had four younger brothers, one of which had come to Falcon Claw for the Ball. She promised to introduce me to him after all this was over.

I was still very malnourished and weak, but I didn't let that slow us down. In the bag Aaron had included some medical supplies, so by the third day my cuts were finally starting to fade.

Even though she tried to hid it, I knew Katelyn was giving me more then my fair share of food. A cracker here and the bigger piece of meat there. I didn't stop her however, I needed my strength if we were going to defeat Shad.

On our third day of hiding, Katelyn came up to me with the almost empty backpack and her map in hand.

"We're running dangerously low on supplies", she told me, dropping the bag onto the ground. "We have about a day of food left, and our water isn't looking any better"

I dropped the stick that I had been using to aimlessly dig in the dirt with and looked up at her. "So what do you suggest?"

She sighed and sat down next to me. "I'm not sure, we could make our way back to the castle. It's less then a mile away, but I don't know how we could get in and out"

"What if we sneak into town and find supplies there?"

"Even more risky", she told me. "They have soldiers lining every street and shop.

Over the span of these three days we had received one bit of news from Aaron. Through the means of a carrier pigeon, he had sent us a note telling us where Shad was looking for us and where his soldiers were.

He had also said it was too dangerous to contact him, and no letter had come since. I had the fear he had been discovered, but Katelyn told me he was smarter then that and not to worry.

"The castle is our best shot, we have allies there and it would be the last place Shad would expect us to go", Katelyn said. "We would have the element of surprise"

I nodded and Katelyn gave me a weak smile. "Pack up your stuff Aph, we're going to strike by night"

Xx

The woods were very eerie at night, the giant dark trees looming over us. I was never afraid of the dark as a kid, but these woods were enough to give anyone nightmares.

"We're almost there", Katelyn whispered, checking her map under the dim light of her flashlight. "Lights off, we're close to the clearing"

I clicked my flashlight off, and found that the woods were even darker then I originally thought.

We continued walking, trying to be as quiet as we could. Every branch I snapped made me shiver in fear, terrified of what we were about to do.

We slowly walked out of the woods, and into the garden we had left out of three days prior. All the windows were dark and no lights could be seen, the first good sign of the night. With our cover of darkness, we quietly walked to up the glass door.

With a thin piece of wire Katelyn managed to open the lock. With a click the door silently slid open and Katelyn and I walked in. The only time I had ever been to this wing of the castle was when I was dragged through it, so Katelyn had to lead the way.

I was astonished at the lack of guards in the halls and by the doors. It wasn't a bad thing, it was better then I could have ever hoped, but I couldn't help but feel that this was some sort of trap. Nevertheless we continued forward, our first stop being the shop.